Church renewal is fueled by, sustained by, and powered by prayer. As theologian Karl Barth said, “to clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” Many …
The Anatomy of Church Renewal: A Helpful Metaphor For Navigating Change
Church renewal requires us to enlist every single member of the congregation in the effort. But each person has a different role to play, and we have to make sure people end up in the …
The 2030 Problem: Church Renewal Steps For Graying Congregations
By the year 2030, all Baby Boomers will be 65 or older, and for the first time in U.S. history, older adults will outnumber children. This profound demographic shift is known as the “2030 Problem,” …
Four Essential Traits of a Leader
What do followers need from leaders to thrive? Those who lead congregations through seasons of renewal must ask this question. The outcome often hinges on how well leaders can engage council members, staff members, and the …
More Trends In Church Renewal
Last week, I began summarizing an important new report that highlights 10 dynamics I think are relevant to our work in church renewal. This week I have the final five insights from Vanderbloemen Group’s State of …
Broad Trends In Church Renewal
I never pass up an opportunity to have lunch or coffee with other pastors in town. I love hearing what ministry looks like from their point of view. I love picking their brains about meeting …
Perfectly Wrong
I’ve never made a March Madness bracket worth bragging about, and apparently, I’m not alone! Of the millions of brackets users created on Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, and the NCAA’s platforms, not a single one …
Learning To Love the Institutional Church
There seems to be one thing Americans can agree on—whether we are on the right, left, or somewhere in the middle: we don’t trust and don’t like institutions. Our trust in institutions has been in …
In Defense of Church Growth
We all long to reverse numerical declines and see our churches grow once again… or do we? I used to assume this was universally true, but recent conversations have convinced me that a discussion is warranted. …
A Failure of Discipleship?
Remember Covid? Just saying the word Covid brings up images, thoughts, and pain. Images of the first online service. Thoughts of trying to figure out how we would navigate this time. The pain of seeing our …
